ASTANA, June 21, 2018 - President Nursultan Nazarbayev's decision to declare Shymkent a city of national significance is of historical international value. It will facilitate the practical implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in our country, including through viable urban management, providing housing to people and improving urban environmental planning of one of the largest Kazakh cities.

The creation of the Turkestan region with Turkestan as the administrative center also plays a critical role in enhancing all-round regional cooperation in Central Asia, since the region is situated in the middle of this vast region. It is a meeting point of major railway lines and the Western Europe-Western China international highway corridor.

Cities in southern Kazakhstan are well-known destinations of inbound tourism that house the ancient architectural monuments and sacral sites of the Muslim and Turkic world. Ancient Turkestan, a UNESCO World Heritage site, will now have more opportunities to enhance its tourism infrastructure. Turkestan's important role in history and in modern times will undoubtedly be discussed during the international Cities Mayors Forum Global Silk Road to be held in Astana on July 2-3, 2018.

According to international experts, President Nazarbayev has been consistently implementing his visionary policy of creating new growth points for the Kazakh economy, which will be beneficial for the neighbors in the region and will create the environment for the successful implementation of the five social initiatives of Elbasy.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including diplomatic missions of Kazakhstan around the world, will continue to provide comprehensive assistance to the akimats of the regions and cities of Kazakhstan in strengthening international relations, attracting technologies and investment, promoting trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation of the regions.